fresh veggies

[THEmapMAKER]

Is it possible to eat fresh vaeggies on the trail like spinach in a pita?

[Jack Tarlin]

Sure. But the stuff won't stay fresh very long. I always leave town with an onion and a green pepper. Sliced, they go into sandwhches at lunch. Diced, they go into dinners, especially good in rice or pasta dishes. Broccoli also travels well and can be eaten raw or cooked. And fresh peas or snap beans are also a great addition to your cooking. Just remember to carry extra ziplocks, or maybe a small plastic container like Tupperware or those disposable Ziplock boxes. Kept properly sealed, most veggies will last several days in your pack, even in hot weather.

[JAK]

Fresh vegetables are mostly water, but 1 or 2 pounds of vegetables is alot of vegetables. Seems pretty reasonable to me as long as you eat it. Especially in summer when you might get really healthy stuff fresh from a local market. I have gotten myself on a soup kick recently. Not the best way to slam back lots of calories but I am in weight losing mode at the moment and I'm not in such great shape that my stomach can't keep up with my feet like some thru-hikers. Sure you might want to eat most of that stuff while in town, but if you leave town with 2 pounds of fresh veggies and, heaven forbid, still have a pound left at suppertime on the second day, who's going to stop you? Enjoy.

[JAK]

I think I would carry most vegetables in brown paper, then burn the paper.
Of course some vegetables like turnip and squash don't need to be wrapped.

[JAK]

I think a lot of the fun that comes with fruits and vegetables is getting them from farmers markets, which is kind of like foraging, especially if you get them on the side of the road or something like that, or even a u-pick. I can just picture a swarm of thru-hikers decending on a field of fresh corn, like locusts.

Are there any farmers markets or road side vegetable stands or u-picks on the AT that are particularly noteworthy? Perhaps the best is when you come across stuff like that serendipitiously, which always seems to happen when you don't expect it. ;)

[fehchet]

I like to chop up fresh veggies before leaving town. But usually keep the onion and garlic cloves whole. Then saute them a bit with coconut oil and add rice and water and "Bang" dinner. Some pouch chicken is nice stirred in at the end for an additional boost. Spike seasoning is good to carry in your food bag as the default seasoner. Available at most health food stores.

[JAK]

Is it possible/practical to sun-dry some vegetables before leaving town, or
even in the field? I'm thinking carrots, parsnips, perhaps turnips, some fruits also maybe?

[CoyoteWhips]

With a paint strainer bag tied to the back of your pack, you can can sprout greens. Only thing is you have to rinse it three or four times a day.

Fruits and vegetables are mostly water, but it's water that you consume.

[Tipi Walter]

Check out the wild edibles: Chickweed, violets, lambs-quarters, etc. Every serious backpacker should start hiking with a plant identification book in hand. What most consider to be weeds can be eaten or added to hot meals.

I've also taken baby carrots with me along with some fresh cabbage, good snacking trail foods, but wild edibles can supplement a backpacker's diet and are easily cooked up with oatmeal or pasta.

[Marta]

With a paint strainer bag tied to the back of your pack, you can can sprout greens. Only thing is you have to rinse it three or four times a day.


N.B. Don't rinse your sprouts with any water you wouldn't drink as is. When we were living in Russia, I gave myself and my family giardia by rinsing sprouts with city tap water, which it soon became apparent was rich in giardia. It was a great weight-loss program.:D

Marta/Five-Leaf

[JAK]

Are there places along the AT, or handy, that are good for fresh produce.
Particularly farmer's markets, roadside stands, or u-picks?

[Jack Tarlin]

Several good ones come to mind.....Sheffield MA, Woodstock VT, etc.

And I just went shopping at the Food Co-op here in Hanover. It's pricey as hell, but if there is better produce available anywhere on or near the Trail, I ain't seen it.

[Jan LiteShoe]

And I just went shopping at the Food Co-op here in Hanover. It's pricey as hell, but if there is better produce available anywhere on or near the Trail, I ain't seen it.

I loved that co-op when I went through. I still have dreams of all their bakery. I bought a very fresh, crusty sourdough loaf there, and ate it all within 24 hours.
:)

I craved fresh fruit, and would often take some out of town with me. Whatever was available.

[Appalachian Tater]

I
I craved fresh fruit, and would often take some out of town with me. Whatever was available.

Me, too. Apples, oranges, bananas :banana, tangerines, cherries--nothing brightens up your day on the trail like fresh fruit.

Mangoes are not weight effective because of the peel and pit. Watermelons are pretty heavy, too, but I ate a quarter of a watermelon outside the co-op in Hanover and half of one at that grocery store in North Adams.